Bar Clams

Review summary

1. C

   Caroline

   VIP

   Toronto

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined 1 day ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   We had such a great evening, the space is unique, the staff is so welcoming and the food was beautiful! Thank you to the whole team!
   

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2. K

   Kailey

   Toronto

   8 reviews

   5.0

   8 reviews

   Dined 1 day ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   A great new neighbourhood spot! The food, service, and vibe are just right—simple but still feels refined and thoughtful. Everything we had was super tasty; oysters, cod and chips, donairs (my personal favourite!) and the atmosphere was so inviting. Looking forward to my next visit.
   

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3. K

   Kristopher

   Vancouver

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined 5 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   tremendous food, service, and vibes. looking forward to the next time
   

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4. G

   Grace

   Toronto

   6 reviews

   5.0

   6 reviews

   Dined 6 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   I was excited to try Bar Clams as a special new year ring in treat for myself. I made the right choice! I had no expectations, knowing very little about the east coast inspired joint; aside from the incomparable Matty Matheson at the helm of this new establishment. I would highly recommend to anyone with a tastebud for real, delectable feel-good seafood dishes and then some. Chefs Kiss!
   

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5. N

   Nick

   VIP

   Toronto

   11 reviews

   5.0

   11 reviews

   Dined 7 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 3

   Great spot, food was all very good we tried a number of the items. The fried clams were great and the beef fat fries are didn’t disappoint. The service was excellent, attentive and pleasant. Would definitely recommend
   

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6. S

   Susan

   Toronto

   1 review

   3.0

   1 review

   Dined 7 days ago

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 4

   As someone who has enjoyed Matty’s restaurants here in Toronto as well as Crystal Beach, we were looking forward to his newest iteration. We went there for lunch to avoid any rush or waiting for a decent seat. We were initially placed opposite the front door. Given how close we would have been to a repeatedly open door to a cold Winter day, didn’t make us feel great. We asked the host if we could move away from the door and she said no problem. The room has two horseshoe old-style diner seatings as well as perimeter seating. I’ m guessing that the total seating is about 50 people. We moved to seating that was facing the door but far enough away to not be concerned about a cold draft. Our server was welcoming throughout our experience. We were looking forward to some “down-east” seafood. We ordered clam strips/bellies and the cod and fries. Each order was $35. We were told that the cod-fries item was an entree but the clam strips/bellies was more suited as an appetizer. If we’re still hungry we decided we would order more food. While the taste of the cod with fries were good, there was far too much batter in proportion to the amount of cod. The same batter (I think) was used to fry the clam strips/bellies. There was no discernible difference between the strips and bellies. It was microscopic. Our experiences with this has been with decades of eating clam strips/ bellies in Cape Cod where the bellies are plump and the strips long and slim. We were disappointed. We saw a few other appetizers/entrees being served next to us and the guests were generally pleased. I asked our server whether the Lobster Bisque or Chowder was “Manhattan” or “New England” style. She didn’t know what I was referring to so, I needed to explain to her the differences. The description on the Lunch Menu of any of the items found are non-existent. While I understand that Matty is trying to return to his East coast roots but it’s a minimalist menu description.
   

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7. J

   John

   Toronto

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined on January 2, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Never been happier eating out like this before! Staff are super welcoming and friendly. Food is well timed and delicious. Will definitely come back for more!
   

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8. L

   Laura

   Toronto

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined on January 1, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   The service at Bar Clams is time and time again at a level of excellence that is nothing less than outstanding. Each and every staff member goes out of their way to ensure you are taken care of and made to feel appreciated. Bravo to the entire team and we look forward to seeing you again very soon!
   

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9. G

   Glenn

   Toronto

   15 reviews

   4.0

   15 reviews

   Dined on December 31, 2024

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 4

   This was our NYE dinner. I love clam strips and they are not the easiest to find in Toronto. So when this place opened up we jumped at the chance to give it a try. It did not disappoint but there are a few things you should be aware of. Pros: Service - Luke our server was excellent and had good knowledge of the food. Food - Excellent. We shared the Iceberg salad, molasses bread, clam strips, a dozen oysters and the cod and chips. All were great, tasty, well presented, etc. Room - Very different than any other restaurant in Toronto. Mirrored ceiling, large bar and counter seating. Cons: Wine by the glass options were very limited. We made do but it wasn't ideal. All customers should be aware that there are no tables at this restaurant. It is ALL counter seating, either at the counter or along the windows or walls. Now for two of us, it wasn't a big deal... but larger groups may find this not conducive to socializing as it limits who you can converse with in side-by-side seating. 4.75/5
   

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10. T

    Tom

    Toronto

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on December 31, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5

    We had a fantastic meal at Bar Clams on NYE after a matinee at Moulin Rouge. Corrina had a Sunrise (she LOVED it) and I had the best glass of tomato juice I’ve ever had. We started with 6 oysters and shrimp cocktail - stunning. The oysters were delightful, and the mignonette and hot sauce, served in diner-style vinegar shakers, were perfect. The shrimp were meaty and seasoned and cold. Next we had the iceberg salad and lobster bisque. The salad was so fresh and sweet and dill-y - we devoured it. The bisque came with a pat of butter stirred in by our server. Ridiculously unctuous and good. The sweet lobster meat in that broth. Wow. Donair and fries, scallops and bacon for our “mains.” The donair shell was satisfyingly chewy and the meat was delicious. The condensed milk garlic sauce was wonderfully weird and played nicely with the spiced meat, tomatoes, and onions. Fries - awesome. The scallops were a solid end to the meal - perfectly seared, buttery, bacon-y (obvs), but they didn’t seem to capture the unique wonder of the rest of our meal, if that makes sense. Do not leave this restaurant without ordering the Hello Dolly. 13 years ago, my wife took me to Commander’s Palace in New Orleans, where I had the best dessert I’ve ever had - their version of bread pudding. This dessert is honestly better. Coconut, chocolate, baked in a skillet, topped with cold cream. It’s unbelievable.  The service was fantastic. Jack was juggling five groups seated around a gleaming stainless steel counter and he managed to make us feel like we were the only people there. Completely attentive, warm, and professional. Anyway, we had an awesome time, an unforgettable meal, and we will be back.
    

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